System and Method for Authenication to an Application

1. A method for authenticating a first user in a protected network to an application program shared concurrently with a second user in an unprotected network, said method comprising the steps of: a first server within said protected network receiving a user ID and password from the first user for authentication for accessing said application, program, said application program residing in a computer on a third network configured as a buffer between said protected network and said unprotected network; said first server determining that said userID and password are authentic, and in response, said first server forwarding to said application program an authentication key for said first user and a request by said first user for data; said application program determining that said key is authentic, and in response, said application program complying with said request by said first user without said password being sent from said protected network into said third network; and said application program receiving another userID and another password from the second user, said application program determining that said other userID and said other password are authentic, and in response, said application program complying with a request by said second user.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said application program complies with said request by said second user without said second user supplying an authentication key to said third network.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said protected network and said third network are both controlled by a same entity.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein said unprotected network is an Internet.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said third network is a Demilitarized Zone (“DMZ”) network and acts as a security buffer for said protected network.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said unprotected network is an Internet.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said application program complies with said request by said first user in part by furnishing a web page to said first user, and said application program complies with said request by said second user in part by furnishing a web page to said second user.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of said application program sending to said first server said authentication key before the step of said first server forwarding to said application program said authentication key.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said authentication key is self authenticating based on whether a period during which the key is valid matches a scheduled period of use of said application program, and whether an IP address of said first user is from said protected network.

10. An authentication system comprising: a first server residing in a first network and having a first CPU, a first computer readable memory and a first computer readable storage media; an application program stored in the first computer readable storage media for execution by the first CPU via the first computer readable storage media in the first server; a second server residing in a second, protected network and having a second CPU, a second computer readable memory and a second computer readable storage media, the second server including first program instructions for receive from a first user within said second network a userID and a password for authentication for accessing said application program, said second server including second program instructions to check authentication of said first user based on said userID and password, and if said first user is authentic, forward to said application program an authentication key for said first user and a request by said first user for data; and said application program including third program instructions to (a) check authenticate said key, and if authentic, comply with said request by said first user without said password being sent from said protected network into said first network, and (b) receive from a workstation in a third, unprotected network for a second user, another userID and another password for said second user, and determine that said other userID and other password are authentic, and in response, comply with a request by said second user, said application program being shared concurrently with said first and second users, said first network configured as a buffer between said second, protected network and said third, unprotected network.

11. A system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said application program complies with said request by said second user without said second user supplying an authentication key to said first network.

12. A system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said first and second servers and said first and second networks are all controlled by a same entity.

13. A system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said first network is a Demilitarized Zone (“DMZ”) network and acts as a security buffer for said protected network.

14. A system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said unprotected network is an Internet.

15. A computer program product for authenticating a first user in a protected network to an application program shared simultaneously with a second user in an unprotected network, and authenticating said second user to said application program, said program product comprising: first computer readable, tangible storage device; second computer readable, tangible storage device; first program instructions, for execution on a first server within said protected network, to receive from the first user a userID and a password for authentication for accessing said application program, said application program for execution on a computer residing in a third network configured as a security buffer between said protected network and said unprotected network; second program instructions, for execution on said first server, to check authentication of said first user based on said userID and password, and if said first user is authentic, to forward to said application program an authentication key for said first user and a request by said first user for data; third program instructions in said application program to check authentication of said key, and if authentic, comply with said request by said first user without said password being sent from said protected network into said third network; fourth program instructions in said application program to receive from said second user another userID and another password, determine if said other userID and other password are authentic, and if so, instruct said application program to comply with a request by said second user; and wherein said first and second program instructions are stored on said first computer readable storage media, and said application program including said third and fourth program instructions are stored on said second computer readable storage media.

16. A computer program product as set forth in claim 15 wherein said application program complies with said request by said second user without said second user supplying an authentication key to said third network.

17. A computer program product as set forth in claim 15 wherein said protected network and said third network are both controlled by a same entity.

18. A computer program product as set forth in claim 15 wherein said third network is a Demilitarized Zone (“DMZ”) network and acts as a security buffer for said protected network.

19. A computer program product as set forth in claim 15 wherein said unprotected network is an Internet.

20. A computer program product as set forth in claim 15 wherein said application program complies with said request by said first user in part by furnishing a web page to said first user, and said application program complies with said request by said second user in part by furnishing a web page to said second user.